Pete Docter asked if player pianos and animatronics are the same
thing. I would say yes and no. However, in the Deuches Museum in
Munich, Germany resides the "remains" of an animatronics trumpeteer
whose only movement was that of the umbuchre of his leather covered
lips while blowing a valveless trumpet of the spanish variety. It was
said that he could blow two notes with equal purity and strength
(called splitting the note) which has only been accomplished by a few
musicians, today. The mechanism could also blow "Tierces, quads,
quints, and octaves of equal purity." Those who live close to the
museum should try to see it. My wife has seen it, and has brought us
back a postcard of the same. I don't think there is anyone
knowledgeable enough today to fix it.

   Another device built by a Swiss engineer (who else) actually played
a real piano with a mechanism operating his arms, wrists, and fingers.
He was programmed, I believe, with pinned rotating steel drums and
could play a dozen classical tunes (or there-abouts). I have no idea
where this machine is, today, but they said it was a reasonable
performance. There have also been others.

   Actually, a player piano came out of design work for milling
operations, particularly in clothing mills, I understand. The folding
books were replaced with a continuous paper roll, and then the idea was
extended to control all kinds of machinery after that.

   While the animatronics designs are controlled by computer, now,
likewise are we also advancing players into this field as well. The
best of both worlds is a marriage of software and pneumatics. For the
money spent and the reliability gained, there is nothing  more reliable
than pneumatics. Pneumatically powered sewing machines using the proper
coverings and materials will never wear out.  They finally get old and
rot, but that sure beats dragging them back and forth from the repair
shop. They can also be run very fast and they are quiet.

   If you remember the little coin purses that used to unfold when you
squeezed them, it is possible to make pneumatics similar to that which
have a lot of torque, and a lot of possibilities. The power received
for the money expended, plus the reliability which has never been
equalled in this sort of device, makes pneumatics a logical choice for
many devices. It allows the devices also to be restorable 100 years
later. I think it has a lot going for it, and more work should be done
to implement it.

Craig B.